Spark plug



R. C. MYERS .April 5 1927.

Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

itoBERr c. fltYEirs, or H'roHIsoN, xANsAs.

SPARK PUG.

Application' fiied March 23, y1925. 'ser'iai No. 17,'7'51.y

This invention' relzttes to improvements in spark plugs;

The' primary object of this invention is the provision of a noveltype of spark plug embodying ;in` electrodexzidapted to be cooperzitively associated with the piston of an internal conibustion engine for the production of the necessary spark; the piston being edapted to engage the spzirk `plug electrode nt its upwiird movement, 'to slightly flex the same and engoge it for the purpose of Cleaning the same u-nd rendering the same effective for subsequently producing a spark. y

A furtlherjohject of this in'vention' is vthe provision of u novel type of Spurl: plug which is perticularly well` adapted to be ufi-:cd in connection with various types of internal coinbustio'n eI-igines,V en'ibodyi'ng novel electrode and el'ectrode edjusting means to properly positionthe sperk plug` electrode in spzirhing relation to the movable piston of the cylinder with which it is associated.

A further object of this invention is the provieion of a, novel type of spztrk plug einbodying en e'rrengement which particulerly well adzipts the same to be assembled in :t novel' munner, and including =;in in'- sulzited central electrode which may b`e held in a positive relation with respect to the Spurl: plug` shell lafter the letter has 'been placed iir the enginel block.

Other objects vend advantagesfof this invention will be npparent during the course of the following; detu'ifled description.

lu the :tfccoinpnn'ying drawi'ng,l forining ;i part-v ofthis specification. and *wherein siinilnfir reference characters desig'nftte correspond'ing parts throughout the several views, i

VFigu'rc 1 is a fraginent-ry sectionalview ltaken through thel top portion-of 'an internal coinbustion engine `cylinder block Vshowing the iinproved' sp'zrrlr plug and its electrode coo'pereting relation with the piston of the engine. i

Figure 2 is an enlarged Vertical sectionfl view 'ti'lren through the iin-provedV spirk plug.

Figure 3 'is' a' cross; sectional'view ltaken through the' improved spffrlrv plug substantinlly on the line 3+3 Vof Figu'reV 2-;

Fifglure 4-2 'is' :i .side elevtion of' eifndrel type of -insu'latingcore 'forthe spanie-plug, -a'nd the novel central .electrote carried thereby;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the iinproved sprlop'lug. i

AIn the drwing, wherein for the purpose of illustrntionis shown only a prefe'rred enibodiment of this invention,-the letter A may generallydesignate un internal combustion engine of eny epproved type, which may co'n'ipriseV un engine liousing or Vblock B, within which zipiston O is slichibly disposed. The novel sp'ark plug D is adapted to' be detechzibly carried 'by the housing or cyliond'er block B in a novel cooperztting relation with respect' to the piston O.

lVith the type of internal combustion engine A :1 cylinder chember 10a is provided therein, and this type of engine A which is.

pfrobubly the most common, is provided with ;in -intern'zully screw threaded spark plug opening'- ll th'ru the top well 12 thereof; vthe rxis of the opening 11- preferzibly being` lateraflly ofiset with respect to the cha-niber 10a within which the piston C operutes. Such a construction is of a form most diiiicult to provide with a sperlcplug having un electrodewhich is udnpted to 'be' cngage-Cl by the piston C uponl its compression strolce.

'Referring to the spirl: plug;` D, the seinc vis'zt' departure from conven'tione'l spark plug constructlons, inv thfat only a single electrode isv carried thereby, whichis insulated from the Shell portilon thereof, end which elect-rode really cooperajtes with the 'piston C; the vletter in this case providing` Vthe other electrode necessary to produce the sperk. To this end the spzrrk plug D coinprises the nietz'i-l shell 10; insuluti-,ng` core ll; electrode 12; 'was'her 14 adapt'ed Vto be positioned on the'shell- 10-for receiving the core 11 there- 'on; metal 'olainpi-ng nut or 083p 15; and wz'isher 16 -for sealing thefj'uncture at'the 'point of engageinent of the clztmpi-ng cap or' nut 15 Von the core 11. The metal 'shell 10 preferebly comprise thej hollow body portion 18,l providingcan external ;polygonal -wrench engaging surface; *Below the' body 18 nn inwardly extending annular fiangef 19 is provided inte- -grav'l with the body'18, for the purpose of Aproviding; the upwardly facing` annuler shoulder Oeidzi'pted' to'receive the washer 14 .thereon, and"for supporting the core* 11, as Tin? well' cnstruc`tion .V lnte-grelly de- 'lpend-ng' from theiinfner edge of the flange 1:9 ;is the externally .so'i'ew tli-reeded hollow cylinder fifnentingvshank 22, which is ofa elianieter' 'to permit lits `ldetachalole insertion in the serew threaded opening 11 of the internal combustion engine housing B. The shank 22 provides the passageway 24 therethrough, downwardly through which the electrode 12 may project, as is illustrated in the drawing. Integral with the body 18, and radially extending inwardly of the eoinpartment 26 thereof is a lug 27, spaced just above the shoulder surface 20, and which is provi'ded for the dual purpose of retaining the washer 14 placed, and for the major purpose of preventing the core 11 from rotation with respect to the metal shell 10, as will be subsequently deseribed.

The washers 14 and 1G are of copper covered asbestos type, and they are of prefera-bly the same diameter, adapted to be slipped into the compartment 26 of the shell body 18; the lower washer 14 being adapted to rest upon the shoulder surface 20 below the lug 27, which as before mentioned is spaced upwardly above the shoulder surface to permit the washer to eo seat.

The core 11 is preferably made of blue porcelain, or any other preferred insulating material, and it comprises thesubstantially cylindrical shaped body portion 80, upwardl v from which and downwardly from which the reduced shanlrs 31 and 32 respectively exten'd. At the juncture of the body 30 and upper tapered hexagonal shank 31 a shoulder 33 is provided, upon which the washer 16 is adapted to seat to enable a claniping action of the nut or cap 15 thereafrainst. In similar manner at the juncture of the lowermost redueed shank 32 and the body 30, a. downwardly sloping converging shoulder 35 is provided, adapted to rest upon the washer 14, just upwardly of the shoulder 20. The core 11 axially therethrough is provided with the electrode receivingr passag'eway 37. which at the lower end thereof is enlarfred, as at 38, opening;` at the lower edge 39 of the reduced shank 32. A novel feature of the core construction 11 is the provision of slots or recesses 40 inwardly of the outer periphery of the body 30, communicating downwardly through the shoulder and which are provided in any approved number about the body 30, although preferably six of the same are provided. These recesses are adapted to receive the metal shell lug 27, for the purpose of maintaining the core 11 in a fixed relation with respect to the shell 10, in order to properly position the electrode 12 in a definite relation.

Referring to the electrode 12I` the same is of any approved type of metal, eomprising the vertical straight body portion 50, adapted to be received in the core passageway 37. Between its ends this portion is provided with an annular rigid flange or abutment portion 51, which is adapted to be slipped upwardly into the enlarged portion 38 of the reeess 37, for abutment against the downwardly facing' shoulder at the uncture of the enlarged portion 38 with the reduced portions of thn passageway 37, for the purpose of limiting the upward movement of the body portion 50 in the core 11. At its upper end the electrode 12 is screw threaded, at 55, for detachably receiving a conventional type of terminal clamping nut and washer construction 5G. The electrode 12 at its lower end is of somewhat novel construction. Then it is assembled in the shell 10, the lower end portion of the straight body 50 of said electrode eX- tends for a short distance below the bottom edge 58 of the shell 10. From this point the electrode has an integral downwardly sloping relatively long' portion 00, which is of a length preferably greater than the internal diameter of the passag'eway 24 of the shell 10, and disposed in an obtuse ang'ular relation with respect to the axis of the body portion 50 of the electrode. At the free end of the downwardly sloping portion 60, a downwardly projeeting' spark shank 61 is provided, arranged at an axis parallel with that of the body portion 50, and of course extending in an opposite direction from the body portion 50; the lower edge 62 thereof preferably being' flat and in a plane at right augles to the axis of the shank G1.

Referring` to the use of the improved spark plug, the metal Shell 10 is first placed in the engine h-ousing B, by screwing the same to a set position in the screw threadcd opening' 11. The washer or gasket 14 is then placed in the position above deseribed`v if the same has not already been placed, and the porcelain core 11 is then inserted into the shell 10. Of course, the electrode 12 has already been assembled in the core 11, so that upon tipping of the core 11 the lower end portion of the electrode 12 may be passed through the Shell. The core 11 is now circuniferentially adjusted until the sparking shank 01 at the free end of the electrode 12 is disposed immediately over the piston C, where the latter can engage the edge 62 upon upward movement at the compression stroke. In this position the core 11 is locked to the shell 10 by the lug 27 being received in one of the recesses 40. The upper washer 1G is then placed on the shoulder 33, and the clamping nut 15 adjusted to a set position in accordance with conventional construction.

From the foregoinn` description of this invention it is apparent that. a novel type of spark plug has been provided, which cmbodies novel features in that the same permts an assemblage of parts which will enable the spark plug to be used with all types of, internal combustion engines, so that an electrode thereof may cooperate in an engaging manner With the piston of the engine.

The fact that the core and electrode is maintained in a positive adjustment With respect to the shell of the spark plug and the engine housing insures that an adjustment thus made will be maint-ained indefinitely.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form` of invention herein shown and described, Without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In combination With an internal combustion engine including a casing provided with a cylinder chamber and a spark plug inserting opening in the casing above and axially offset from the cylinder chamber, a spark plug for said spark plug inserting opening, said spark plug including an insulating core and an electrode carried by said insulating core, said electrode at its inner end providing a relatively long fiexible offset extending into the cylinder chamber for engagement by the piston upon topmost movement of the latter.

2. As an article of manufacture a .sparlr plug electrode comprising a straight main body porton, an offset at an end of said straight body portion disposed in obtuse angular relation with saidbody portion and beyond the outer confines of the body portion, and a straight sparking shank at the outer end of said ofi'set extending in oppo- .site direction from the body portion and disposed With its aXis in parallel relation with said body portion.

3. A spark plug comprising a shell, an insulating` core, means mounting the insulating core in said shell, and an electrode carried by said c-ore extending below the shell and providing a relatively long lateral oifset disposed with its axis in oblque angular relation to the axis of said spark plug, said offset at its free end being disposed laterally of the exterior of the shell and thereat providing a downwardly extending Sparkmg shank substantially parallel With the aXis of the spark plug.

4. In combination With an internal combustion engine including a casing having a cylinder chamber and a piston slidable therein, and being provided With a spark plug opening, a spark plug for detachable mounting in the spark plug opening including a. flexible electrode laterally extending into the cylinder chamber beyond an end of the piston and adapted to be engaged byV the piston at the end of its stroke to cause the flexing of the electrode. V

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine including a casing provided with a cylinder chamber and a sparl: plug inserting opening beyond an end of the piston, and a spark plug for the spark plug opening including an end for inserting into the opening and an electrode extending from the end and laterally eXtending into the cylinder chamber beyond an end of the piston transversely arranged With respect to' the axis of the piston and of a length suflicient to permit the same to be engaged by the piston at the end of a stroke to fleX to Said electrode slightly.

6. In combination With an internal combustion engine including a casing ,having a cylinder chamber, a piston slidable in the cylinder chamber, the cyinder chamber above the piston having a spark plug nserting opening communicating therewith, the spark plug inserting opening being disposed in parallel aXial relation With the cylinder chamber and laterally offset from the piston` and a .spark plug detachably mounted in said spark plug inserting' opening having a relatively long laterally extending. electrode portion projecting into the chamber above the piston and laterally extending towards the piston into relation to be engaged by the top of the piston at its top stroke, the said port-ion of the electrode being flexible.

ROBERT CV. MYERS. 

